The mission of the College of Forestry, as part of Oregon's Land, Sea, and Space Grant University, is to educate and engage the next generation of scholars, practitioners, and users of the world's forest resources, to conduct distinctive problem-solving and fundamental research on the nature and use of forests and related resources, and to share our discoveries and knowledge with others.

The Institute for Water and Watersheds (IWW) is Oregon's federally-designated water resources research institute. It coordinates water and watershed activities at OSU, connects students, staff, and faculty with stakeholders and statewide water issues, and pursues solutions to the water and related environmental problems of Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and the world by assembling research teams from a broad spectrum of disciplines. Over 125 faculty from six colleges and numerous departments are affiliated with the IWW.

The Institute for Water and Watershed Collaboratory is a shared facility that provides Oregon State University and Oregon University System affiliates with access to instrumentation dedicated to fresh water analysis. Researchers can receive training on instrumentation and process samples themselves at minimal cost.

Nestled in the central Cascade Range of Oregon, the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest is a living laboratory that provides unparalleled opportunities for the study of forest and stream ecosystems. Since 1980, as a part of the National Science Foundation Long Term Ecological Research (NSF-LTER) program, the Andrews Experimental Forest has become a leader in the analysis of forest and stream ecosystem dynamics.